At the best of times, I can find inspiration a tricky thing to grasp hold of. I like to think of it like ocean fluctuations, it approaches and recedes according to many outside factors. If 2020 has done nothing else, it has really tested my capacity to be inspired, and made me question-where and how to find it when it alludes me.
Here are the things that I think are most important to get the creative juices flowing:
FRESH AIR
Definitely first things first is fresh air, a walk in the park or along the beach can do wonders for blowing away the cobwebs. Much of inspiration for my work tends to come from the natural world, from the hedgehog that frequents my garden, to the shells I collect in my pockets.
So, if you’re feeling stuffy and creativity stiff, have a stretch and take a walk. Whilst stepping outside take a look at what surrounds you. I often take a pen/pencil and paper – to make nots on what I see, both drawing and writing hastily without too much thought the things I see, feel and hear.
They might not all be decipherable drawings or writings, but this often sparks something I hadn’t thought about previously.
If you’re not in the mood for drawing or writing a simple phone camera can be great for recording. Or even just sitting and letting yourself be in your environment.
EXERCISE
Second on my list would be exercise. More important to some more than others perhaps, but for me it’s has become an essential puzzle piece in my sanity and creativity. In a normal world, I find myself in the gym five times a week and playing hockey a couple of evenings. Exercise definitely fuels my brain, and also provides some light relief when I’m stressed or problem-solving.
READING
Next on my list is reading. There’s nothing not much else I’d rather be doing that sitting down in the sun or snuggling up in the winter and tucking right into a good story. At the moment I am reading ‘The Subtle Knife’ by Phillip Pullman- which I’m LOVING. And my mood isn’t persuasive of reading, I’ll pick up one of my more picture-ry books or magazines and just absorb myself in the images that are between my palms.
Here are some of my absolute favourite pick-ups:
-Winnie-the-pooh
-Grimms Fairytales
-Oceanographic Magazine
-Dive Magazine
-National Geographic
-Moominvalley
-Other Minds by Peter Godfrey Smith
ACTIVITY
I often find when trying to find the motivation to be productive and get creative the thought itself of ‘what shall I do next?’ is a paralysing one. With so much possibility, it’s difficult to know where to begin. Activity can be essential. When you just don’t know what to do, do SOMETHING—A N Y T H I N G. Whatever gives you fire in your belly. Bake a cake. Watch telly. Relax in the garden. Inactivity is less conductive to a productive atmosphere than doing something, related or not. All of who you are contributes to what you do. Interests and hobbies that may not seem like the relate to your practice, often to in ways you’re unable to articulate.
MUSIC
Silence can be both deafening and instrumental to your creativity. Some people work well in a quiet atmosphere and others don’t. I think for me it is partially connected to my mood but mostly music makes me feel invigorated, like the world is moving and I have to keep creating to keep up. Especially in our current episode of a lockdown 3.0, I’m currently a Master’s student at Falmouth University studying Authorial Illustration, but I also work part-time in hospitality to pay my rent and with nowhere to go to work, the days can begin to blend together. Time feels like it’s both flying by and is stagnant all at the same time.
The world feels strange and uneasy, to combat this music provides me relief from these isolated times. A good dance anthem blasted through my speaker at a frowned upon volume will never fail to get me singing and prancing around the room, and often this is enough to get my brain into gear.
DOCUMENTARIES
Finally, one last thing I often do to boost my motivation is by watching something new. TV, streaming sites, YouTube I’ll find something to teach me something new, or to tell me a story I haven’t heard. Documentaries are often where I land, stories from history, geography or wildlife that set me off down a rabbit hole, towards some greater story pursuit. That never leads quite where I expect it to but is always part of the beauty of the making process.
Everyone will have their own process’s and sources for inspiration, which are sometimes not realised as quickly as you might think. If you’re not sure what it is that keeps you going in these testing times then look to what interests you and where you find yourself without much thought, these are the things that make you and inspire you to do what you do.
I hope that by sharing some of the things that have helps me it might help some of you, and if you have any that work for you and that you’d like to share then drop it into the comments, I’d love to know what does it for you!
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